Mediterranean Vegetable Galette
Published Aug 27, 2024
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This Mediterranean Vegetable Galette is elegant yet fuss-free, perfect for showcasing the vibrant flavors of summer’s vegetable bounty. With its golden, flaky crust and colorful array of roasted vegetables, this galette is as visually stunning as it is delicious.
What is a Galette?
Unlike a quiche or tart, a galette does not require a custard filling or special pans. It’s a rustic, versatile, free-form tart that can be filled with almost anything. This version has eggplant, zucchini, red bell peppers, and tomatoes. There are sweet, savory, and stacked versions, such as potato galettes.
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
This vegetable galette showcases Mediterranean cuisine’s bold, savory flavors. With roasted tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, goat cheese, and fresh basil, this rustic, free-form tart is also visually striking. A buttery, golden, flaky crust encases the vibrant colors of the roasted vegetables, making it as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate.
Despite its elegant appearance, a galette is relatively easy to make. The free-form crust doesn’t require precise shaping, making it a fuss-free option for novice and experienced cooks.
This Mediterranean Vegetable Galette recipe is:
- So flavorful! Roasting the vegetables first adds a layer of flavor with a caramelized note that perfectly complements the flaky crust.
- Easy! The buttery crust comes together quickly in a food processor. While the dough chills, you can roast the vegetables. Add prepared pesto, goat cheese, shape the crust and bake!
- Simply beautiful and uses simple ingredients!
- Lovely fresh out of the oven or at room temperature.
How to Make Mediterranean Vegetable Galette:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this vegetable galette recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- All-Purpose Flour: Preferably unbleached.
- Unsalted Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter in cooking to better control the salt level. You’ll want to cut back on the salt if you use salted butter.
- The Vegetables: Almost any combination of Mediterranean vegetables can be used. If you’re not an eggplant fan, use more zucchini, add yellow squash, and use red bell pepper instead of yellow … you get the idea!
- Fresh Basil: Fresh basil is a must in this vegetable galette recipe.
- Goat Cheese: Adds tanginess with a creamy element.
- Pesto: I used my homemade Pesto Genovese. In my opinion, the only prepared pesto that tastes even close to homemade is DeLallo. Drain off excess oil from the pesto. It can leak from the galette and smoke in the oven.
- Parmesan Cheese: You can also use Asiago or Romano.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients. Start by making the galette dough.
- Combine the flour, salt, and butter in a food processor bowl.
- Process until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add 3 tablespoons of ice water and pulse in the food processor.
- Push some of the dough up against the side of the bowl to see if it holds together. (Be aware of the blade if you do it with your hand.) If it doesn’t quite hold together, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of ice water.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap on a work surface and empty the unformed dough onto it. Shape the dough into a disk, using the plastic wrap to assist.
- Wrap with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place cubed eggplant in a colander. Toss eggplant with approximately 2 teaspoons salt.
- Let drain for 30 minutes.
- Pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Place eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, and bell pepper on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Roast until beginning to brown and just becoming tender, approximately 15 minutes. (Keep in mind that they’ll cook again in the galette.)
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and tilt it slightly so that excess oil and liquid drain away. Let the vegetables cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
- Toss vegetables with garlic, basil, Parmesan cheese, salt, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Place the chilled dough on a floured surface and roll it into a 12 to 14-inch circle, adding more flour as needed.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle a light layer of cornmeal over the parchment paper.
- Place the galette dough onto the prepared parchment paper.
- Spread the pesto over the pastry, leaving a 2 to 3-inch border.
- Break the goat cheese log into pieces and dot the pesto evenly.
- Place vegetable mixture onto the pie crust, leaving a 3-inch border.
- Fold the dough over the vegetables, overlapping as necessary to partially cover the filling. (Should have a rustic appearance.)
- Brush the pastry with olive oil.
- Bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes or until the crust is golden.
- Sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese.
- Cut into wedges and serve immediately or at room temperature.
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Peeling the eggplant is optional. However, I prefer to leave the skin on for most recipes because it contains antioxidants. (Source: Healthline)
- Salting the eggplant will help remove some of its mildly bitter taste. I don’t always salt and drain eggplant because I like that flavor. For this dish, salting will soften it a bit so that when the vegetables are roasted, they all cook evenly. If salt-sensitive, skip that step and start the eggplant 5 or 10 minutes ahead of the other vegetables.
- When the vegetables are done roasting, tilt the baking sheet. Prop one end up on something, then place a damp kitchen towel under the other end and let excess oil and liquid drain away.
- Drain off excess oil from the pesto. It can leak from the galette and smoke in the oven.
Recipe FAQs:
Can I use a purchased pie crust for this vegetable galette recipe?
I highly recommend making your own crust for this vegetable galette recipe. It will be flakier, and you can make a larger galette. A purchased pie crust can’t be rolled out large enough to accommodate all the vegetables. If you want or need to use a purchase pie crust, make two smaller galettes.
What other vegetables can go into a vegetable galette?
Almost any combination of Mediterranean vegetables can be used in this galette. However, almost any vegetable, such as butternut squash or mushrooms, can be used in a savory galette.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
- Reheat individual wedges in a 350-degree oven until hot.
Serve with:
- Green Bean Salad Recipe with Mustard Vinaigrette
- Tuscan Kale Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
- Cream of Celery Leaves Soup
- Cream of Green Vegetable Soup
More great quiche, tart, and galette recipes you’ll love!
- Tomato Pie Recipe
- Puff Pastry Tart
- Zucchini Quiche
- Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tart with Thyme
Get all my quiche, tart, and galette recipes at Quiche and Tart Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Mediterranean Vegetable Galette
This Mediterranean Vegetable Galette is elegant yet fuss-free, perfect for showcasing the vibrant flavors of summer's vegetable bounty. With its golden, flaky crust and colorful array of roasted vegetables, this galette is as visually stunning as it is delicious.
Ingredients
Galette Dough
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cup ice water, or as needed
Galette Filling
- 1 small eggplant, approximately 1 pound, cubed
- Salt
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 2 small zucchini, total 12 ounces, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for brushing pastry
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large sprig fresh basil, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup prepared pesto
- 1 log (4-ounce) goat cheese
- Cornmeal
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
Galette Dough
- Combine flour, salt, and butter in a food processor bowl. Process until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add 3 tablespoons of ice water and pulse in the food processor. Push some of the dough up against the side of the bowl to see if it holds together. (Be aware of the blade if you do it with your hand.) If it doesn't quite hold together, add 1 more tablespoon of ice water.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap down on a work surface and empty the unformed dough onto it. Shape the dough into a disk, using the plastic wrap to assist. Wrap with the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Galette Filling
- Meanwhile, place cubed eggplant in a colander. Toss eggplant with approximately 2 teaspoons salt. Let drain 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Place eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini and bell pepper on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast until beginning to brown and just becoming tender, approximately 15 minutes. (Keep in mind they're going to cook again in the galette.)
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and tilt it slightly so that excess oil and liquid drain away. Let the vegetables cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees.
- Toss vegetables with garlic, basil, Parmesan cheese, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Assembly and Baking
- Place the chilled dough on a floured surface and roll it into a 12 to 14-inch circle, adding more flour as needed.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle a light layer of cornmeal over the parchment paper.
- Place the galette dough onto the prepared parchment paper.
- Spread the pesto over the pastry, leaving a 2-3 inch border.
- Break the goat cheese log into pieces and dot the pesto evenly.
- Place vegetable mixture onto the pie crust, leaving a 3-inch border.
- Fold the dough over the vegetables, overlapping as necessary to partially cover the filling. (Should have a rustic appearance.)
- Brush the pastry with olive oil.
- Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes or until crust is golden.
- Sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese. Cut into wedges and serve.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Almost any combination of Mediterranean vegetables can be used. If you’re not an eggplant fan, use more zucchini, add yellow squash, and use red bell pepper instead of yellow, etc.
- You can also use Asiago or Romano.
- If salt-sensitive, skip the salting step and start the eggplant 5 or 10 minutes ahead of the other vegetables.
- Drain off excess oil from the pesto. It can leak from the galette and smoke in the oven.
- Make the crust and refrigerate.
- Roast the vegetables 1 day ahead of time and refrigerate. Assemble the galette when ready to bake.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Calories: 804kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 16gFat: 58gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 898mgPotassium: 1.079mgFiber: 8gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 3.859IUVitamin C: 106mgCalcium: 269mgIron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I made this exactly as written, it was delicious! The flavors blended beautifully and tasted like a fall celebration. It was a great time saver to be able to use already made pie crust on a busy night. Thanks for a great recipe!
Hi, Joanne, Thanks so very much and happy you enjoyed!!
The ingredients seemed a little bland to me. I added onion, garlic, butternut squash, sage, lemon thyme and feta cheese. I also mixed some oregano in my pie dough, homemade, of course.
Hi, Susan, Thank you for your feedback.